


Jeremy and the Summer he will Never Forget

by mesoquatic



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: F/F, I might update, I wrote this and never continued it, M/M, Mythical Beings, Supernatural AU - Freeform, discontinued, mermaid au, mermaid!Jeremy, others will be disclosed, small town AU, witch!Christine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-06 18:35:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11606541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mesoquatic/pseuds/mesoquatic
Summary: Jeremy's grandparents lived in the small town of Tututni Blues in Oregon and died off, leaving his father and him to sell the house off before the summer ends. There, Jeremy gets into all sorts of trouble with the world only thought to be found in fiction.(What are plot summaries??)(Discontinued)





	1. 1

Jeremy looked forward for summer vacation every year. Even if he was left in his room alone while his dad was off who knows where, he waiting for it. He then despised when autumn came along, taunting him as he would walk back to school. He had no friends, no one to experience the troubles of puberty and high school with. He was your average student, terrible at math and science, somewhat passing in history and english.

But the summer this year was one that was different. A new version of his routine was presented in the passing of his grandparents on his father’s side. They had left their house to their only son, his father, in a small fishing town across the country. His father had decided that the two of them would travel to southern Oregon from New Jersey to settle and close the property.

The plane ride was not anything to complain about. The best, and cheapest, flight they could get was the Friday before school ended. He had to complete his second semester finals a week early, but he had another week of whatever awaited him in Tututni Blues.

Tututni Blues was a small town in southwestern Oregon. It was fairly small but not enough where everybody knew everyone. It was named after a local native tribe who had since been put on a preservation a few miles out. It was also located on the Pacific Ocean, something Jeremy had never seen before. According to the pictures in the articles his father showed him, the beaches and water were not like the Atlantic. He didn’t actually believe it until their plane landed and their cab took a seaside road to get into town. According to the driver, it was the only way into Tututni Blues. Despite the idea of water being blue, as the name suggests, it was gray which clouds to match and it was hard to tell where the sky and water met.

Many large warehouses were settling near the water, paint peeling from the back. Docks covered the main two beaches with a few smaller ones nestled here and there. As they really entered the town, a few people walked here and there. Most of the buildings were small tourist shops, not that there seemed to be many tourists. The beaches seemed empty except for residents.

A roundabout sat in the middle of the downtown area with a stone statue of a mermaid in the middle. Two men were painting it for the summer, giving it bright blue scales and black hair. Jeremy could tell that last year it was painted different colors by the leftover splotches.

More roads lead into others up slight hill. The town was layered with residential on the top going down into commercial and factories. It wasn’t until a stop that Jeremy stopped looking out the window. As he exited, the dimmed windows filter faded away, revealing something more beautiful. It was something he would never see back in the city in New Jersey.

He was beckoned by his dad and turned around to see his late grandparent’s home. He never really remembered what it looked like but according to pictures he had been here at least once in his early life. It was a larger home built by his great-great-grandfather back in the mid to late 1800s. One of the earlier two-story Victorian style houses, supposedly built that way because his wife was in love with the style and designed it herself.

Jeremy started to grab the many suitcases from the trunk and back. They were lucky to be able to tag down a larger taxi, to be able to hold all of their stuff. His father insisted on packing a lot, seeming that it would be home for the next three months of their life, possibly more. Jeremy had packed up most of his room and would probably regret whatever he left behind eventually.

Jeremy’s dad led him in the house after they dropped all their stuff on the porch. The entrance was a large sitting room. Through an archway was the dining room and through another was the kitchen. To his left was another archway leading into living room and office area. In front of him was a staircase leading up with a closet door, which upon inspection was to the basement, below the second flight. Jeremy wandered upstairs to find a long hallway. On one end was the master bedroom, smelling of his grandparents, a smell he could never forget. There was a small circular balcony and another, larger, balcony next to the attached bathroom and study. The other five rooms were bedrooms and one other bathroom.

“Jeremy!” He stopped at the stairwell and looked down at his dad. “I’m going to bring in our stuff, go ahead and pick out a room!”

“Okay,” Jeremy called back down and went on down the hallway. He eventually went with the bedroom across from the bathroom which had a view of the water. The ceiling was a little higher, with a vent near the top going into the attic.

After exploring around the house, he eventually started to take his own stuff upstairs for the-his room. Eventually he had everything upstairs, either on the already made bed or on the various furniture in the room. Even with all the furniture around the house, it seemed empty and ghost-town like.

“Earth to Jeremy,” He jumped a few feet before looking at his dad. He caught his breath after a few seconds. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“No, I’m fine.” Jeremy said between breaths. “I just go caught up in thought.”

“Well, I haven’t gone grocery shopping and there isn’t anything really edible in the fridge. It’s been a week or two so you never know what’s expired and so on.” He explained and Jeremy gave him a look telling him to get to the point. “Anyway, what do you want for dinner?”

“I don’t know,” said Jeremy as he sat down. “Something you can’t get in New Jersey?”

“I know just the place, if it’s still open!” His father was out the door and down the stairs before Jeremy could say anything else. He followed slower and stuffed his hands in his hoodie pocket.

“How exactly are we getting there? Are we walking?” He questioned as his dad came out of the kitchen with his jacket on.

“My parents knew what cars were, son.” His dad sassed. “They aren’t some hip, new age machines, but they are cars.”

Together, they went into the garage, which seemed to be gathering dust already, and drove down the same road that lead them up. This time around, Jeremy was able to see that it was a much larger road than expected. It wasn’t a full blown road, just mostly laid down gravel. It could easily fit two cars.

Eventually they were sat down in a small diner on the beach. The dock was attached with outside seating which was not quite open for the summer yet. Seagulls were flying through the docks and landing on boats or various other perches. Jeremy spotting a crab walking stereotypically across the beach with its claws in the air.

He ate something that wasn’t something he had ever had before. It was a sort of fish hamburger and it was pleasant. His tastebuds needed to adjust from greasy, mass produced city food to the same amount of grease, but better tasting food. His stomach was going thank him by the end of the summer for the lower amounts of salt entering his body.

After eating, they drove back home. Jeremy was promised by his dad that he could explore around town when he worked around the house tomorrow. It was a better bet than sitting around his room all day which would turn into all summer. Maybe he would meet someone who was willing enough to be friends with him. But his mind raced a million miles a second, thinking that he’ll probably not find anyone. At least he could try.

-

Jeremy awoke to a slightly blue ceiling above him. He took a deep breath before he would panic, remembering that he arrived last night. He sat up, his blanket falling over on top of itself as he moved. He grabbed a shirt from his open suitcase and sniffed it to make sure it was clean. He glanced out the window for a second but then looked back. His mind was still waking up but the town and ocean seemed to be more alive than the Atlantic ever could be. The sun shined brightly and the waves hit the beach gently with their perfect shade of blue.

“Okay,” Jeremy breathed out and walked away, forgetting about his pants. He only realized when he was in the bathroom. He took a shower before going back to his room to finally put some pants on.

Once downstairs, the house seemed to be bigger. He went to the kitchen to get something for breakfast before remembering that his father was throwing out all the food. There was a note on the counter next to a granola bar from his dad.

Jeremy, I’ve gone out to do some work. There’s twenty dollars in your wallet for food (or whatever you kids spend your money on, just remember that if you don’t spend it on food you probably won’t get much) for the next few days. It might not be much but work with it until I get groceries, ‘kay? -Dad

He grabbed the granola bar, one of the only items of food they brought with them from home or bought at the airport. Opening it up and taking a bite, he headed back upstairs to gather his wallet and shoes. He left his jacket on his bed, convinced of the warm weather outside. Once he stepped outside, he knew it was all a lie. A freezing wind hit him from the water and he immediately shivered. Luckily, he had not locked the door and it reminded him to do so afterwards anyway.

He made his way down the hill towards the town. It seemed that it was steeper than he imagined when he rode the car in and out last night. He was cautious after almost slipping a few times. It was an hour and a half before he was down to the downtown area. While he walked down the slope, though, he noticed that it was only two streets, much smaller than he had ever seen.

He walked around and made his way to the docks. He passed the diner he and his dad ate at last night and a small Saturday Farmers’ Market. It was less than a market of food and items and more of informational booths about various places in and out of town.

“Young man?” Jeremy was stopped by and older, almond-eyed woman. She sat in a chair in a pavilion with a small table. “Are you new in town?”

“Yeah,” He responded and walked under the hood of the booth.

“Mind a reading from an old lady?” She asked smiling and offered the chair across the table from her. Jeremy hesitated. “No charge, just for you.”

Jeremy smiled and looked around at the people walking on the boardwalk. He pulled out the chair and sat down curious. He offered his right hand but the woman refused. He was confused before bringing up his left to the table. She smiled and grabbed it softly, her eyes closed.

“What was your name, again?” Her voice seemed to be free of any obstruction now and her long hair started to fly. The rest of the world seemed to float away.

“I didn’t.” Jeremy said as calmly as he could.

“Jeremy, please do not be scared.” Jeremy tried to pull away but her grip tightened. “You’ll face many trials to test who you are soon. Others will have to, too, concerning a hidden truth.”

“Nainai,” Suddenly Jeremy was back in the booth on the dock and his hand was free. A woman around his age was now at the table. “Stop scaring him.”

The old woman was back to being how she was when Jeremy first entered the pavilion.

“You aren’t supposed to do readings anyway,” The younger woman lectured.

“Your mother isn’t earning much in the store.” Jeremy suddenly felt bad that she wasn’t charging him.

The younger one turned to him and smiled. “Sorry about that.” Jeremy stood up from the chair and smiled awkwardly, putting his hands out to defend the older woman.

“It’s all fine, really.” He said and she seemed satisfied. He made his goodbye and left the booth, feeling as he seemed rushed to leave. He was but felt it was rude that he let it show, not only to the two of them but to them and himself.

Nothing else really caught his eye in the market and moved back to the downtown streets. He wandered in and out of various places, including a library and small convenience store. He bought himself a drink and was warned by the clerk not to drink it until later when it warms up. It was then that Jeremy realized that it was only ten in the morning.

He kept his drink in his hand as he wandered through even more places. Sure enough after a half an hour, it was much hotter than Jeremy accounted for. He dropped into the next closest store with air conditioning and sighed in relief.

He found himself in a small, single room. A counter was in front of him with no one present. He wandered around, looking at the many sculptures and other things being sold. Most seemed to have the common theme of mythology. One sculpture reminded him of the one in the center of town that was being repainted when he rode into town. He made a mental note to go by it later to see if they finished.

Suddenly, beads moved and a woman appeared from the back door. She sat on the stool at the register and smiled at Jeremy. He waved and went back at looking at the many displays. A certain box caught his attention that holded many different colored stones. He grabbed one and looked over it. He read the label, Destiny Stones $0.50. He pulled out his wallet and wondered if it was worth it. Something to remind him of the summer he didn’t deal with New Jersey. He luckily had fifty cents change in his wallet.

He went up to the register and placed it down with his money. “Good morning, Jeremy was it?”

He looked up in shock before recognizing her as the younger one from the booth earlier. “Hi.”

She rang up the register. “Do you want a receipt or bag?” Jeremy shook his head. “Well, how’s town for you so far?”

“Good, I guess.” He put his wallet in his pocket along with the stone.

“Let me guess, you’re from the East Coast?” She asked suddenly and he nodded. “I went to New York a couple years back with my mom.”

“New York is paradise compared to New Jersey.” He joked and she laughed along with him.

She held out her hand. “My name’s Christine.”

Jeremy took her hand and shook it. “You already know mine.”

“What brings you to town, anyway? You have to have a reason other than vacation. We barely get tourists.”

“My grandparents passed so my dad and I are coming to close down the house.”

“The one on the hill?” She asked, nodding out the window.

“Yeah,” He responded slowly.

“Well, if you’re here through all summer, come and stop by. I’ll be sure to tell you all the folk tales around here.” She motioned to his pocket. “Like the stone you just bought.” Jeremy pulled it back out of his pocket and put it on the counter for Christine to see. “It’s legend that if you go on one of the high cliffs around the area and hold the stone, that it will lead you to your destiny. Nainai found the lot of them and held one. She found Yeye that same night.”

Jeremy assumed that she was referring to the older woman from the booth and her husband. He nodded along to her story as she went on.

“You should go up one some time. It’s a fun experience even if it doesn’t get you anywhere. I’d take you up one now but my mom is making lunch and I need to look over the shop.”

“It’s alright.” Jeremy insisted and picked the stone back up. “I’ll find a way up sometime on my own.”

“There’s a trail on the road past the Veterinarian's office. If you get lost, just head inside. I’m sure Michael or my dad would be willing to point you in the right direction.”

“Michael, your brother?” Jeremy asked without thinking and she shook her head fast.

“No relation, just a family friend. He’s our age.” She paused. “I just assumed you were the same age as me and I’m probably wrong, sorry.”

“No, you’re probably right.” responded Jeremy. “I’m only fifteen.”

“You are the same age as us!” She cheered.

“Keep it down!” A woman’s voice yelled from the back room and Christine bit her lip.

“Sorry, my mother’s a bit sour after hearing that Nainai set up a booth at the market.” She explained. “Anyways, I shouldn’t keep you with my blabbering.”

“No, it’s all okay.” Jeremy looked around the counter and padded his pockets to make sure he didn’t leave anything. “I should get out and stop using your oxygen.” He mentally cringed at what just came out of his mouth but Christine laughed anyway.

Jeremy waved goodbye and left the store. His forehead started to sweat almost instantly compared to the cool air from inside. He started walking down the street towards the statue of the mermaid. When he arrived, seeing the freshly painted stone, he realized he didn’t ask where the Veterinarian's office was. From the context, he hoped it was on a corner of the downtown area, leaving him to four areas of looking.

It wasn’t until his stomach growled and he checked his phone that he realized it was almost one in the afternoon. He swears he was around one block multiple times and completely lost. Compared to New Jersey, this was smaller but more maze like. It wasn’t until he thought about a smaller scale in his head that he was finally able to make his way around.

When he finally found his destination, he was underwhelmed. It was a small building with peeling paint with a fence around it. He went through the gate after checking the hours to make sure they were open, a habit he learned in his childhood. As the door swung open, a bell rang above his head. It reminded him of the barber he went to back home.

“I’ll be out in a minute!” Someone called from the back as Jeremy made his way to the counter. The air was much cooler than outside but not as much as the other shop had been. Jeremy tapped quietly against the counter until a boy his age came out a propped open door. “What can I do for you?”

“Are you Michael?” Jeremy asked and the boy nodded, a bit confused when he spoke.

“Indeed.” He confirmed. “You must be Mister New Jersey, Christine texted me hours ago. What took you so long?”

Jeremy thought of an excuse. “I got carried away.”

Michael jumped over the small door separating the front room from the desk area and motioned him to come along with him. They went outside and Michael brought him up a road. “I’m not going to take you to anything fancy. This one is more hidden and less trashed than the others can be. It’s not as tall as the rest but I don’t know your stance on heights but I hate them.”

“Heights aren’t that bad.” Jeremy contributed.

They hiked up a slight slope, not as much as the one to where his house was. Michael insisted on a break when they hit equally elevated ground so Jeremy could get a view. “Not something you’ll ever see in the city, is it?”

“It’s not the Atlantic for sure.”

“Don’t hate on the Pacific, she’s a beauty.” Michael nudges him. “Besides, I’ve seen pictures, It can be trashed as hell.”

“What about California?”

“Touche.”

They continued their climb until the trail ended with a small field of unmowed grass and flowers. Michael stood away from the cliff edge. He instructed Jeremy in how to use his stone.

“Stand near the edge but not too close, I don’t want you falling off.” Michael called and Jeremy turned back to him. “Now take out the stone and try not to focus on anything but the nature around you. Your mind is supposed to attach to something and only that.”

Michael shut up while Jeremy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn’t dare move his feet without the fear of falling off the cliff. Not that he was that close or anything, just that he could slip if he moved. His mind rushed through different ideas.

“Focus on nature! Anything else is out the window!”

Jeremy opened his eyes to stare down Michael before closing them again. He tried to shut out anything else and focus on nature but one sound kept coming to his mind. His grip tightened around the stone unwillingly as he tried to understand the noise. Then it clicked, it was the water. It was the waves hitting the stone cliffs and the sandy beaches. He opened his eyes and looked back at the horizon.

“Welcome back!” Michael called and Jeremy glanced him a questioning look. “You were unresponsive for at least five minutes and I was starting to be concerned.”

“What happens now?” asked Jeremy, unsure what his answer meant.

“I couldn’t tell you. It’s a myth afterall.” Michael stood up, Jeremy wasn’t sure when he sat down, and walked cautiously over. “We should get down before Christine’s dad thinks we got ourselves killed.”

Jeremy agreed and they started to walk towards the trail. Something in the back of his head was now calling him, something he had never heard before. Maybe it was always there but he only noticed when he was on the cliff. He certainly did not know at this moment in time.

They reached the clinic and Michael went back in while Jeremy headed back home. He felt sick and decided not to walk around anymore but the closer to his house he got, the sicker he felt. Maybe I had too much ocean air for today, he thought.

The sickness plagued him through dinner with his dad, which was quick, microwavable meals. He turned in his bed, trying to be comfortable but he couldn’t find any position to sleep. When he closed his eyes, all he saw was the water and the ocean floor.

At some point between eleven and two in the morning, Jeremy could not take it anymore. He was rushed, not even bothering to put on a shirt or shoes. He forgot the house key as he locked himself out of the house. His feet stung with every step and after making it halfway down the hill, his lungs burned. But it didn’t stop him. It was like he was on autopilot.

He ran past the veterinarian clinic, curving down a path that wasn’t as noticeable. Suddenly he was past a few houses and on the edge of the water. It seemed to glow under the half moon’s light.

“Jeremy?” He looked back to find a flashlight on his face, held by someone who hastily put a blanket over themselves and their glasses on. It was Michael. “What the hell are you doing out here?”

Jeremy looked back to the water. “I-I don’t know.”

“It’s cold out, you don’t even have a shirt, or pants, or shoes on!” Michael walked down the path towards him, tossing him a blanket and turning off his flashlight. “Take it, you need it more than I do.” Jeremy didn’t pick it up.

“I couldn’t sleep.” He gulped and looked over to Michael. “I’ve had this headache ever since we went up on the hill and-”

“Maybe you’re homesick?” Michael interrupted and wrapped Jeremy in the blanket.

“I think it’s the water.” He looked back to the water, mesmerized.

“Why don’t I just bring you inside and you can borrow some of my brother’s clothes or something.” Jeremy shook his head. “Dude, you can’t just freeze out here!” Jeremy dipped part of his foot in the water and Michael pulled him away. “I’m not going to let you do that.”

“It felt amazing.” Jeremy let out and tried pulling away from Michael. He broke free the second time and starting walking into the water.

“Jeremy?” Michael called out, his voice shaking. “Dude, I’ve known you a matter of not even twenty-four hours but I don’t think you should be doing that!”

“Why not?”

“Didn’t you just hear me? I said it’s freezing!” Jeremy took a deep breath and dived in.

Michael ran into the water after Jeremy but the latter seemed to be pulled in by the water. Jeremy felt like he was in paradise and that he was just falling through clouds of comfort. He felt the water under him and opened his tired eyes. Saltwater flooded into his vision and he smiled, looking up at the empty space above him.

As he floated down, he watched the bubbles from fish go to the surface. The light of the moon was put through a filter of blue and gray hues. It was something Jeremy had never seen before. He waved around and looked down, seeing the ocean floor approaching. Two fish moved from the sand and he turned back around to see Michael still standing there. He looked terrified as Jeremy hit the floor.

He went to raise his hand to wave at Michael at the surface but couldn’t move his arm. He looked around to find his arms and legs surrounded by seaweed that was slowly tightening. He moved his arm away as much as he could but it moved to match. It finally hit his skin, sending an ice cold shock through his body. It grew over his stomach and he opened his mouth to scream for help but instead felt the water flood into his lungs. A burning sensation came over him and he struggled even more. He grew tired with every second and felt his leg muscles grow painfully.

He moved his body as much as he could and managed to get his left hand free. He moved it over to get one of his other limbs free but stopped as he saw the scales start to grow along his arms. While in shock, more seaweed grew and grabbed at his arm. He worked at removing the plants and managed to get most of it but it was growing faster than he worked. He was losing oxygen fast and his energy was decreasing. His body was morphing into something new and he wasn’t sure what it was. When he looked down, his legs were gone and were something he couldn’t see. He paused too long and the plants grew over him.

A piece of plant slithered over his mouth and the sides of his torso felt like they ripped in certain places. His innards morphed and moved around, making him want to puke but there was nothing left in his lungs except saltwater. He closes his eyes and felt himself being pulled under by the sand. His mind was racing a million miles a second. He was about to die and all his dad was going to get was he drowned.


	2. 2

Jeremy opened his eyes suddenly and shot up from the ground. His breathing was unsteady as he looked around. He would have thought it was dream if he wasn’t currently in the middle of some kind of water. As he breathed in and out, nothing seemed to happen and he looked down, finding three gills on each side of his torso breathing for him. But the thing that struck him the most was the fact that a long, blue tail replaced his legs.

He reached out, hoping it was just a giant fish but it moved along with what he wanted it to do. His arms were covered in various patches of scales, especially around his elbows and shoulders. He picked at one of them but pulled back after hurting himself.

He looked up towards the surface. It wasn’t as he remembered, with hues of blue and gray but now was blue and some shades of green mixed with the gray. He pushed himself up and fell back over, forgetting about the tail for a second. He spent the next five minutes adjusting to swimming with a tail.

Jeremy swam up to the surface and took a deep breath of fresh air when he broke the surface. After a few seconds of breathing, it felt the same as the oxygen from the water. He looked around and realized that he didn’t know where he was until he spotted a house he vaguely remembered from last night.

“Jeremy!” He turned to see seven people in a small cave on the side of the cliff. One he recognized as Michael in his red jacket. Two other guys were getting up from the floor and making their way to the opening. Jeremy hesitated but swam over. “I thought you died!”

“I didn’t!” Jeremy smiled but was very unsure about how he was alive at the moment. And with a tail.

“You’ve been missing for,” He glanced over at a girl, Christine, and she held up her fingers. “Two days!” He called as he looked back to Jeremy. The two guys were already in the water and swimming toward him.

“Dude, nice tail!” One called out and the people still land bound became worried.

“Thanks?” Jeremy thanked and looked down.

“Rich are you high?” One of the girls called out and one of the boys in the water shook his head.

“He’s got a tail.” The other one confirmed and the first, Rich, gave a thumbs up.

“I really don’t know what’s happened and I’m as confused as all of you!” Jeremy explained using his hands which caused him to go under the surface for a second before resurfacing.

“Let’s get you over there before anyone sees you, alright?” The other boy proposed.

“Do you need help?” asked Rich. Jeremy shook his head no.

They swam over to the cave and Jeremy pulled himself onto the elevated rock floor. He looked around and gave a nervous smile to all of them. Everyone didn’t know what to say.

“We need to alert the police and his dad.” One of the girls next to Christine said, breaking the silence.

“I think we should try de-tailing him first.” Another girl offered and Michael nodded, lowering himself into a squat next to Jeremy. The boy on the ground felt intimidated.

“How are you feeling?”

Jeremy bit his lip and answered. “Sore.” Michael snorted.

“I don’t blame you!” He responded with a wide grin. “Destiny Rocks can do some interesting things.”

“Excuse me?”

Christine stood up. “Destiny Rocks can do almost anything. They gave Nainai her psychic abilities. It just awakens any type of DNA in you that isn’t,” She searched for the word.

“Human.”

“That’s it, thanks Jake.” The other boy who helped him in the water shot finger guns at her. “But they only work for mixed heritage families so we, or my mom, sell them as cheap souvenirs.”

Jeremy was shocked. This woman, Christine, sold him a rock that turned him into a fish.

“Here,” Jeremy was pulled fully out of the water by Michael. “I’m hoping it’s just like stories are and you just lose the tail when you’re dry.”

“I hope so.” muttered Jeremy but Michael heard it.

“Oh come on, it’s not that bad.” Michael tried to lighten the mood. He reached over to fins and awkwardly removed the remains of his underwear. “Nice to know your clothes don’t go with you.” He took off his own jacket after putting the ripped fabric off to the side. He took his jacket and placed it on Jeremy’s shoulders. He turned to Jake. “Can you go get some clothes, he’s about your size.”

Jake ran off and Rich grabbed some towels from a pile on a bigger rock. It probably was normal sized but it gave comparison to Rich’s small frame, it was large. He threw one over to Jeremy and two to Christine. She had made her way over to where Jeremy was.

“We need a cover story for all of this.” Rich mentioned and sat back down next to the water.

“He’s right, we can’t just tell the police that he turned into a mermaid and didn’t come back for forty-eight hours.” A girl in the back spoke up.

“The correct term would be merman.” The one next to her corrected. “He’s a guy.”

Jeremy had placed the towels over his tail in hopes that he could soak the water away. Great, now he was stuck with growing a tail every time he touched water. Michael’s jacket fell off his shoulders and Michael insisted that he wear it before he froze to death.

Jake showed up just as Jeremy could feel his legs coming back. It wasn’t as painful as he remembered from when it first happened but it stinged. His center of balance changed and threw him for a loop when he tried standing up. Jake and Christine were the only things keeping him from falling back into the ocean. Luckily, he got the underwear and pants on before standing up. Rich let go after Jeremy found footing. Christine stayed close and alert.

“So, what’s the cover story?” Michael asked the three girls still sitting down.

“I thought it would be best to say he was swept away by the tide to one of the caves and he finally found his way back.” One proposed.

“They checked the caves. Wouldn’t they have seen him?” Jake countered.

“They don’t know about this one,” Another woman pointed out.

“Jenna has a point. We should stick to that.” Christine agreed.

“Shouldn’t we wait for a little?” Jeremy asked, a little light headed from standing up this long. “I’m still adjusting.”

“The more disgruntled and separate from society, the better! You just spent two days in a cave with no food.” Michael reassured and helped him move forward. Jeremy handed the jacket back to him while doing so. “Onwards!”

-

Jeremy sat on his bed and took a deep breath. He was beyond tired and it was almost eight in the evening. He was taken to lunch and then an officer asked him questions. His dad had picked him up from the station and taken him to the diner for dinner again. Now, he was back at the house, alone. His dad was worried about him but needed to get work done.

In the process somewhere, he also got introduced to the whole gang; Michael, Christine, Jake, Rich, Jenna, Chloe, and Brooke. He also got the phone numbers of the aforementioned Michael and Christine.

He looked up at his ceiling and took a long, deep breath. Things happened and he wasn’t entirely sure why. Sure, Christine had said it was the rock's fault but it seemed like a legend loose at the strings. There was something else to it, maybe if he ignored that pull in his chest, he would be perfectly fine. Maybe if he never went up the cliff or never bought it, he would be fine now. He couldn’t think that way, it’s all in the past.

-

Jeremy woke up the next morning around ten. He kept himself up a later than usual last night thinking about what could have been. He couldn’t even remember half of his own arguments.

He got up and grabbed a pair of pants. His clothes had been put away neatly, probably his father worrying and needing to occupy himself. Jeremy made his suitcase a makeshift laundry basket. Afterwards, he went downstairs and found his dad surrounded by papers at the dining room table. “Good morning.”

His dad looked up and smiled. It was the second time they were alone since he got back. The first had been the car ride from the station here. “Morning.”

Jeremy went into the kitchen and was actually surprised to find food in the fridge and fruit in the bowl. He grabbed a banana and a glass from the cupboard, filling it up with fridge water. He took a sip and put the cup down, going to his banana.

After finishing his banana, he grabbed the glass again but lost grip of it. It crashed on the floor, spreading glass across the floor. His dad was out of the dining room and had rushed in with a broom. Water spread down his pants and he waited to grow a tail but nothing happened. Maybe it was all a dream?

They cleaned it up and Jeremy changed into a different set of clothes, including a shirt this time. He grabbed his phone from the charger and found a message from about five minutes ago. It was from Christine.

Christine: your lucky that u r out of school

He laughed to himself and realized that the only people he knew were still in school.

Jeremy: When do you get out of school?

Christine: thursday

Jeremy: I meant today.

Christine: o

Christine: get out @ 2 but the bus is hour

Jeremy checked the time and it was only a quarter past ten in the morning. If their school was anything close to his, that meant that they were in their third period. But he was curious why they needed to ride the bus more than anything.

Jeremy: Bus?

Christine: we share a hs with 2 othr towns

It all seemed to click now. When he walked around the other day, there was no way there were enough kids to have a high school. Or any school, for that matter. At least they were given transportation to another one. It was far but it was an education.

Christine: do u rember where the cove is

Christine: u can go swim until we back

Before Jeremy received the second text, he did not understand the context. Now, he was hesitant. His memory from Saturday night and yesterday were not the best. To add to the mess, he wasn’t sure if he was dreaming or not. He hadn’t grown a tail when he spilled the water a couple of minutes ago.

Christine: its bettr to try to embrace it thn ignre it

She was right. Even if it was a dream or hallucination, at least he would be able to swim for a little. That is if he remembered where the cove (it was basically a cave but the others called it the cove so it sounded cooler) was.

He reached for his swim trunks but then found them gone. Even if they were there, how would his dad react to seeing him with them. He did just come back from being stranded at sea, according to the lie that was created. He grabbed his small bag instead and stuffed his phone, wallet, and towel in and headed downstairs. When he opened the front door his dad called for him.

“Where are you going?” He asked, appearing from the dining room.

“I’m just going to walk around.” Jeremy lied and smiled.

His father took a deep sigh and looked at his phone for the time. “Don’t do what you did the other night. You had me worried sick.”

“Yeah, I was being stupid and I, for sure, don’t want to do that again.” Jeremy laughed and his dad smiled.

“How long are you planning on being out?”

“I know some people but they aren’t in town until around three. I’ll probably meet up with them later.” Jeremy bit his lip and hoped that his father wouldn’t push it anymore.

“Stay safe!” He called as he returned to the dining room.Jeremy smiled and closed the door behind him.

He wandered down, passing through downtown. He stopped in front of the store Christine’s mother owned, the Lonely Sailor and Other Myths. He thought about going in to say hello but remembered that Christine was at school and her mother was probably working. He moved on, walking down the road and turned down the road parallel to the clinic. It was like the road up the hill, just enough to fit two cars. Two houses had driveways but it looked like a dead end.

Jeremy was confused and concerned. From what he remembered, they were near here. Maybe he turned the wrong way? He’s probably on someone’s personal property right now and is about to be yelled at. But then he noticed it. He noticed the shadow of moving water on the leaves of two trees and a bush. It also leaked out onto the gravel slightly. He moved a branch and a path appeared, leading him right in.

Now that he was in here not by accident, he could really tell what it was. It was cave like but many of the stones looked hand carved into seating, shelves, and counters. He placed his bag down on a counter and took out his towel. He placed it next to the water. The water level was much lower than yesterday. It was low tide.

He peeled off his shirt and his pants before looking around the mouth of the cove. No one seemed to be watching and he was glad that it faced towards the ocean and not the bay. He checked his phone for the time, just past eleven, and stripped from his underwear. He stared down at the water for a second before closing his eyes and jumping in.

Once under the water, his legs glued together. He bit his lip in pain when they stretched, forming the end of his tail. A shiver ran down his body as scales grew. But the worse was the slices that came at his sides, opening airways that weren’t there Saturday morning. He opened his eyes as he felt himself hit the bottom. It wasn’t a dream and it wasn’t as bad as the first time. His body had adapted.

He took the next few minutes sitting on the ocean floor, watching the wildlife around him. He was fascinated by the world that was mostly hidden away. Most fish were scared to be near him but some swam by and bumped into his tail. His giggling panicked them every time, causing them to swim away quickly.

He swam forward and let him fall onto the floor again. The sand cushioned him more than the rocky shoreline. He practiced moving his tail as much as he could, learning his limits as he went. His eyes didn’t sting like they usually do when underwater and he did not worry about his breathing. He felt safe.

Jeremy closed his eyes and let the water shift him around. He could feel the fish and animals move around him hesitantly, like he was just part of the sea floor. He grinned with enjoyment. Not only did he feel safe but he felt at home in the water.

After getting bored of sitting around, he swam around the bay. He was too cautious and stayed as far as he could but he enjoyed swimming around. He did flips around in plain water and around plant made structures. He was also careful not to go too far out or lose himself in the water. There were probably things in the water worse than the plentiful nice fish so far.

After hours on hours, he returned to the cove. He took a deep breath of pure oxygen and reached for his phone. It was half past two. Christine and Michael, his friends (maybe he couldn’t call them that) would be back in town soon.

He put his phone back down and floated backwards into the water. He eventually let his weight sink into the water, closing his eyes as his face went under. He wasn’t quite used to having his eyes half under the water and half above or any combination in between. He opened his eyes again and watched the light dance among the surface. Crossing his arms behind his head, he felt himself hit the ground. He danced around with his tail, holding it up and flopping it around. It wasn’t until now that he realized how long his legs were.

A shadow covered some of the light from the surface, forcing him to focus and move his tail out of the way. A human shaped umbra looked over the edge of the cove. Jeremy could not focus enough to see who it was before they looked away. He started to swim towards the surface warily.

“-stuff here. He’s probably down there.” A voice explained, distorted from the water. Jeremy kept himself next to the rocks and his head under the water.

“You didn’t see him?”

“Nah,” He felt vibrations in the rocks. “Christine, do you not trust me?”

“Of course I do!” Christine called out and Jeremy hid from her sight instinctively but she saw him anyway. “You can’t hide, your tail gives you away?” Jeremy emerged from the water and smiled at her awkwardly. She held out her hand as Jake appeared from behind her. “Need help?”

Jeremy swam over to the opening and pulled himself up. Christine pulled her hand away and watched as he sat down on the edge. “Welcome back.” She offered him his towel and he took it smiling.

“School’s a pain.” Jake complained from behind them. “Did you already get out?”

“My school gets out Friday but it was cheaper to leave last week.” Jeremy explained, rubbing the towel through his hair.

“You’re so lucky!” exclaimed Christine. “We start our finals tomorrow and summer officially started today!”

“You just get to swim and mess around all day while we get asked what ‘x’ equals and which of the following isn’t a play of Shakespeare!” Jake complained even more.

“It’s not that bad, Jake. You are just doing terrible in your classes and need to pass the final with flying colors in order to get a good grade.” Christine explained to him. “Maybe you shouldn’t be doing so many extracurriculars.”

Jaked huffed and took off his shoes. He rolled up his jeans and sat down next to Jeremy, moving his feet around in the water. Christine disappeared somewhere, looking for something or someone. Jeremy moved his towel from his head to his lap and stared down into the water.

“How’s it like under the water?” Jake asked and looked over to his companion.

“Beautiful,” Jeremy searched for words to say. “It's just beautiful.”

Jake nodded, understand and glancing back down to the water. “Am I making you uncomfortable?” Jeremy shook his head no but Jake got up anyway. “Look man, I get it. We don’t really know each other.” Jeremy bit his lip and watched as he walked off, leaving Jeremy all alone.

He pulled himself out of the water fully and wrapped some of his tail in the towel. Jake eventually came back with Christine and also Michael. The latter happened to be dropping a pill into his mouth and taking it with a bottle of water. He smiled over at Jeremy.

“Jeremy?” Christine dragged out, getting Jeremy’s attention. “If you dry up, we can grab something to eat at Michael’s house?”

Jeremy nodded and started to make more of an effort to dry himself off. “Could you guys wait just outside then so I can change?” Christine dragged Jake out while Michael sat down, taking a swish of his water. Jeremy continued to dry off and looked over to the other. “Please?”

Michael smiled and left just before Jeremy’s legs came back. He got up carefully, wobbling as he adjusted back to two feet. He put on his underwear and then his pants. He slipped into his shirt and checked his phone before frowning. He sat down and grabbed the towel, having to dry his feet off more to slip into his shoes. As he did, he noticed the small, new detail. The small webbing that connected his small toe and the one next to it on both feet. The slits were barely visible on the other toes but gave the possibility that the same would happen to every toe.

He put it aside and dried them until they happily slipped into his shoes. Grabbing his bag, he pushed away the branches and emerged from the cove. They waited for him patiently, except for Michael. “Oh, he’s alive!”

Jake nudged at his side making Michael yelp. “Be nice, he can’t exactly control it.”

Jeremy awkwardly stuffed his hands in his pockets as the two fought. “Anyways,” Christine smiled. “How was your swim?”

“Great!” He smiled wide, readjusting his bag against his back. “You think the water’s something but when you’re actually down there, it’s a whole different world.”

She giggled. “That’s great.”

“Are we going to get some food or what?” Michael complained.

“We aren’t just going to walk into your house, Michael-” Jake shot back and they continued to bicker as they walked to Michael’s house.


End file.
